Hate crimes remain a problem in our communities, but a forum in Huntington next week will help attendees understand how to identify it.
The United Against Hate (UAH) Community Outreach Program is a nationwide initiative launched by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat unlawful acts of hate. The initiative aims to improve hate crime reporting by teaching community members how to identify, report and help prevent hate crimes, and by building trust between law enforcement and communities.
UAH shares resources to combat hate and encourages discussion between representatives from law enforcement, community organizations and members of the public. The program emphasizes that while some hate-fueled incidents — standing alone — may not be a crime, people should still report those incidents to local law enforcement and the FBI.
U.S. Attorney Will Thompson and Huntington Mayor Steve Williams along with other community leaders are hosting the event.
“This forum is an excellent opportunity to hear from the community, raise awareness and further education about hate crimes and bias incidents,” Thompson said.
“Huntington is a welcoming community that embraces diversity, equity and inclusion, but there are still individuals who want to tear down the progress we have made,” Williams said. “That’s why I am eager to partner with the U.S. Attorney Will Thompson and engage our community on this important topic.”
The forum will include presentations about United Against Hate and federal and West Virginia hate crime laws as well as a panel session featuring community leaders.
The panel is scheduled to include:
- Charles Meyers: past president, Cabell-Huntington NAACP
- Hoyt Glazer, J.D.: president, Temple B’nai Sholom
- Sue Barazi: vice president, Islamic Association of West Virginia
- Ally Layman: president, Huntington Pride
- Angela Adams: president and CEO, Mountain State Centers for Independent Living
The event will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesday, March 19 at the Marshall Health Network Arena Convention Center. It is free and open to the public. RSVP is not required.